The iPhone is helping AT&T while hurting the phone company's competition

Even though the iPhone does not launch for 11 days, the hype
surrounding the latest Apple gadget continues to explode. More than 64
percent of American users and 56 percent of British mobile phone users have at
least heard of the iPhone.

While the iPhone will be an expensive product -- priced at $499
and $599 for the 4GB and 8GB model respectively-- and users will have to sign
an exclusive contract with AT&T, many consumers seem unfazed.
According to a study done by M:Metrics, almost 1 in 10 mobile phone users
in the United States have "a strong interest" in purchasing an
iPhone. Of the 11,064 people polled for the study, 67 percent are
subscribers of a service besides AT&T.

iPhone Delivers Up to Eight Hours of Talk TimeNow Features Durable Glass Top SurfaceCUPERTINO, California—June 18, 2007—Apple® today announced that iPhone™ will deliver significantly longer battery life when it ships on June 29 than was originally estimated when iPhone was unveiled in January. iPhone will feature up to 8 hours of talk time, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback or 24 hours of audio playback.* In addition, iPhone will feature up to 250 hours—more than 10 days—of standby time. Apple also announced that the entire top surface of iPhone, including its stunning 3.5-inch display, has been upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity.

“With 8 hours of talk time, and 24 hours of audio playback, iPhone’s battery life is longer than any other ‘Smartphone’ and even longer than most MP3 players,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve also upgraded iPhone’s entire top surface from plastic to optical-quality glass for superior scratch resistance and clarity. There has never been a phone like iPhone, and we can't wait to get this truly magical product into the hands of customers starting just 11 days from today.”

iPhone introduces an entirely new user interface based on a revolutionary multi-touch display and pioneering new software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. iPhone combines three products into one small and lightweight handheld device—a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and the Internet in your pocket with best-ever applications on a mobile phone for email, web browsing and maps. iPhone ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, which completely redefines what users can do on their mobile phones.